For years, chemists have developed ever more intricate molecules. Recently, chemists have sought to assemble simple molecules into complex, multi-molecule type structures. One developing area is referred to as supramolecular architecture. Typically, supramolecular architecture yields a resultant article having multiple of monolayer films. Within such films, the type of materials may be organic, inorganic or combinations of both and the resultant films offer potential uses in technologies such as, e.g., catalysis, microelectronics, optics and sensors.
For example, Sagiv describes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,061 a type of supramolecular architecture wherein built-up films are produced by the stepwise adsorption of individual monolayers. More specifically, Sagiv describes forming on a suitable substrate an ordered monolayer of molecules, such molecules having at least one functional group at one end adapted for attachment to the substrate and at least one non-polar group at another position on the molecule, converting after formation of a first monolayer the non-polar groups to polar functional groups of a reactive nature, and continuing formation of additional monolayers in a like fashion until a desired number of layers is obtained. Since the original work by Sagiv, others have continued to develop such monolayered systems with a variety of different layers.
Another example is shown by Li et al. in J. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 112, pp. 7389-7390 (1990) which describes multilayered assemblies including silicon dioxide substrates, a silane linking group attached to the substrate, a stilbazole chromophore material attached to the silane linking group, a second silane linking group attached to the chromophore material and a polymeric material attached to the second silane linking group.
Research and study of various monolayered systems has now lead to the development of additional monolayered type assemblies, such assemblies useful in, e.g., binding trace amounts of selected organics and metals.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide thin film assemblies or devices capable of reacting with and/or detecting trace amounts of selected metals.
It is a further object of this invention to provide thin film assemblies or devices capable of reacting with and/or detecting trace amounts of selected organic materials.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide thin film assemblies or devices capable of use as nonlinear optical materials.